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World Fine Art Professionals and their Key-Pieces, 175 – Mario Consiglio
Recently I was at the opening of Last Primitives of Mario Consiglio at the Breed Art Studios in Amsterdam. The exhibition, curated by Luca Rezzolla, consists of 13 ‘Shields of Peace’ (made especially for Breed Art Studios) and the sound and visual installation ‘No Borders’. The whole spectacle was well guarded by a black dog: ‘A dog inside’.

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The right side of the head and part of his upper body was cut up. In his interior you saw a microcosm. It represented a city. “Today’s architecture becomes a molecular construction, which can sometimes lead to the re-creation of the internal organs of the animal,” says the creator, Mario Consiglio.

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Primitivism
While the sound system emitted the sound of a steam engine that started up and showed fanatical football fans of a match in the Serie A giving a demonstration of contemporary primitivism, violist Irma Haverkamp played a variation around the wavy hum.

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Primitivism is still there, indicates Consiglio. The ‘Shields of Peace’ refer to forms used by primitive tribes and the bright colors evoke different cultures, connected by an imaginary line that begins with native Americans and passes through Northern Europe to Africa and beyond.

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Incomprehensible
Man in relation to society and existence, is the central theme of his work, says Mario Consiglio. “But I’m actually interested in many topics. After all, an artist feeds on everything. Any subject can be interesting if it triggers creative forces. The human race, however, is always on my mind.”
“There is something contradictory and disturbing in us, therefore fascinating” he explains. “On one hand we are evolving with an impressive scientific and intellectual dynamism and on the other we are still making wars. There is something incredible in this behaviour. Something incomprehensible that yet intrigues me and tells me that evolution is still far away.”

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More styles, techniques and themes
It’s hard to point out a key piece in his oeuvre, even more, a key work does not fit in his approach. “Conceptually, the key work is what makes you discover something new that enriches you. Mine is a humble attempt to give something to others. I like to have a say on evolution both on a pictorial level and on a thought level. I do not have a key work in reality, I do not believe in a single artistic and thought personality. That’s why I use more styles, techniques and themes. I always have to discover something new or I would not have the strength to work. I always try to overtake myself, even if it is difficult, however I try.”

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The countryside

Mario Consiglio has always been making art, he says. As a child he used to draw a lot and that created problems with the school. He studied fine arts in Urbino, then immediately started working with galleries. “I worked a lot between Turin and Milan, then I moved to London where I worked with the Trolley Gallery. An exhibition in Havana, Cuba in 2006 gave me the right energy to free myself from artistic recognition.

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Shortly after I moved to Berlin where where I freed myself permanently. I stayed there almost three years then I came back to Italy. I live isolated in the countryside. I moved away from chaos even due to health problems. I love myself now, I teach at the academy, and I would never want to die sometimes.”

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Freedom
What’s his philosophy? “What I always say to my students is that art is the diary of their life, their journey, their experience, their education, their friend and above all their freedom. That must remain so. I always tell them that when I’ll see one of my students overtaking me, I will be happy because it means I have worked well. Art has the task of education, teaching peace, breaking down barriers and wonder. Love her.”

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